prime the pump

Idioms  

1. Encourage the growth or action of something, as in Marjorie tried to prime the pump by offering some new issues for discussion. In the late 1800s this expression originally was used for pouring liquid into a pump to expel the air and make it work. In the 1930s it was applied to government efforts to stimulate the economy and thereafter was applied to other undertakings.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

prime the pump

And that status quo would prime the pump for more SoFi loan applications.

From New York Times ● Apr. 22, 2023

To prime the pump a bit, the editorial board came up with a list of possible gubernatorial candidates we’d like to see:

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 9, 2022

“The purpose I suppose is to help prime the pump for hockey development,” deputy NHL Commissioner Bill Daly said.

From Washington Times ● Dec. 24, 2018

They prime the pump and use their comments section as a chance to build their following.”

From The Guardian ● Aug. 25, 2017

After that we prime the pump to get all the air out, our eyes meeting as we wait for the formula to make its way down the tube.

From "Five Feet Apart" by Rachael Lippincott

Related Words

• back
• bankroll
• fund
• guarantee
• promote
• sponsor
• subsidize
• support
• underwrite